


when it rains

by tadanoris



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Future, F/F, Slow Build, but basically theyre adults and they dont know each other !!, idk what kinda au this is tbh lmao
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-09
Updated: 2016-08-23
Packaged: 2018-08-07 18:24:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,960
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7725001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tadanoris/pseuds/tadanoris
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Slowly, Hitoka dares another glance up at the woman. She thinks she sees a smile tugging at the other's lips, but it might just be her mind playing tricks on her. It might just be wishful thinking. She wants to see the girl smile, but Hitoka figures she's not one to smile randomly at a weird stranger who was trying to make friends with a stray cat in the pouring rain, rather than get home like a sensible person would. </p><p>(Hitoka learns that rainy days aren't always that bad.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. first meeting

**Author's Note:**

> its been 7 years since i last wrote a fic pls be gentle orz

The first time they meet, it's raining and Hitoka is running home.

The weather had been just fine when she had left for work that morning. Since she had been in a rush, she hadn't had time to check the weather— but the sun had been shining and people were wearing shorts out, so she had figured that a nice dress and some ballet flats would do.

Fast forward a couple of hours of work and Hitoka finds herself just about soaked to the bone and with aching feet to boot. She supposes that that's what she gets for fixing her hair instead of spending time googling the weather forecast. At least she had looked cute with some star hairpins in her hair earlier, but she would much rather be dry under an umbrella than look decent for the handful of coworkers that had seen her today.

As Hitoka makes her way home, Rain continues to pound down on the pavement and on her, and she idly wonders why she's even bothering with running when she's already soaked.

A sigh makes its way towards her mouth but gets caught in her throat as she nearly trips, only barely catching herself on a nearby streetlight. She doesn't know if she should be grateful for or curse her stupid combination of clumsiness and quick reflexes.

Instead of doing either, she ducks into a nearby alley, just to catch her breath for a moment. It's already dark out and all she really wants is to get home, but if she doesn't take a little break now, she'll probably end up tripping again and _actually fall this time_ — or just cry. Possibly both.

Definitely both. It's been a very long day.

The metal veranda above offers some shelter, though it's also dripping from its corners, dirtied raindrops hitting her right shoulder. She figures she doesn't care anymore because it already feels like she's gone swimming in her clothes anyway— and if the gods wish to keep her from getting dry, even when all she wants is a tiny break from this downpour, then so be it.

This time, she actually manages to heave a sigh without tripping, her entire body sagging with the action. She's tired, and if the rain would just let up a teensy bit, she would be satisfied enough to go running out again. This alleyway isn't exactly the place Hitoka prefers to be, especially not when she has a fluffy blanket and a comfy couch waiting for her at home. It also smells pretty bad, though the rain is able to mask some of the horrendous garbage stench. She takes a hesitant step away from the garbage piles, the raindrops from the veranda above now hitting her head. After a solid three minutes of just standing there, she figures she might as well get going, lest she ends up wet _and_ smelling gross. At least she had managed to calm her breathing now.

Turning on her aching feet, Hitoka gets ready to sprint out onto the sidewalk again, when a soft meow catches her off guard, her shoulders startling in response. Instinctively, she turns to look over her shoulder, scanning the area for the source of the sound.

Stray cats aren't exactly an uncommon sight on the streets, but Hitoka never really pays them much attention. They're usually too far away or too scary-looking for her to actually do something. She once offered a cat some bits of her lunch, but that's pretty much all her experience with them. She's always been more of a dog person.

Another meow sounds through the alley, and this time she can tell that it's coming from the cardboard box next to the garbage container.

Crouching down, only barely remembering to readjust her sling bag so that it doesn't land in a puddle, she can make out the form of a small cat, cowering inside the box. It takes her eyes moment to fully adjust to the darkness, but once they do, she can see a bright pair of eyes staring straight back at her.

The cat is... white? White or grey, with bright green eyes that are just slightly unsettling. It's obviously in poor condition, being a stray— there are some furless patches on its face, and it's definitely too thin to be healthy.

Slowly and without much thought, she reaches out a tentative hand towards the cat, making soft cooing sounds towards it.

The cat stares indifferently back.

Somehow, being ignored by a cat hurts just as much as being ignored by a human.

The blonde tries again, carefully scooting a little closer as well. The cat startles a little, jumping at the sound Hitoka's shoes make against the pavement.

"I'm not gonna hurt you..." she whispers quietly, keeping her hand out as she continues to coo.

Just as she's about to drop her hand and give up, the cat takes a couple of hesitant steps forward, head leaning out of the shelter of its box. Hitoka's heart swells and she figures maybe this is when her day turns around for the better. Sure, it was nearing 8PM, but things could still turn around! There weren't many things that could fix a ruined day, but acceptance from an animal felt pretty darn good.

The cat continues to move forward, keeping its body stretched out so that it can still hide a little bit under the box. Hitoka responds by slowly moving her hand a little bit forward, until she manages to gently make contact with the cat's nose.

_Success._

Now that she can see more of the cat, she can tell it's injured as well. It has some scratches along its body— she can't tell if it's a rash or from a fight— and the way it's standing implies some of its legs are injured as well.

As gently as she can, she tries to move her hand to pet its head— which it lets her do. It obviously doesn't trust her quite yet, but she figures that can be remedied with some gentle touches and careful head scratches. Now, if she can only get the cat to come a little closer so she can look at its hind legs—

The cat responds by scratching her hand, letting her know that she had definitely overstepped her boundaries. Hitoka pulls back as quickly as she can, a hiss of pain escaping her as she cradles her now injured hand. It's nothing too bad, just some thin red lines marring the back of her palm, but it still stings.

She looks at the cat again. It stares back.

Okay, maybe she had deserved that one.

At least the cat hadn't left and gone back into its box, and Hitoka takes that as a sign that their friendship can still be salvaged. Carefully and slowly, she reaches her hand out again, towards the cat, watching its every move in case it tries to scratch her again.

"Is that your cat?"

Hitoka turns so quickly towards the voice, it's a miracle she doesn't get whiplash— or a heart attack for that matter, because she really hadn't been expecting the sound of someone speaking to her. Her heart is pounding hard against her ribs and her mouth is still hanging open from gasping in surprise. When her gaze finally manages to make out the person standing at the mouth of the alley, Hitoka is pretty sure her heart is going to actually burst out of her chest.

It's a pretty lady! A _really_ pretty lady (and not a dangerous kidnapper and/or drug dealer like she had been expecting)! The kind of lady that people would write poems about, where they describe her as having ebony hair so soft it was like touching a feather; eyes tinted a soft grey, it could only be compared to the shine of diamonds; lips that looked so _alluring—_

 _Stop? Stop! You don't even know this person? She can still be a dangerous kidnapper drug dealer— possibly both— though that would definitely be a shame because she can for sure be a model, or a TV star, or both? A singer maybe? Definitely some kind of celebrity— yes, definitely, she's dressed too nicely to be a drug dealer! Except, maybe she's gotten such nice clothes_ because _of the drug dealing business?_

Hitoka gulps, struggling to find her voice again as she tries her best not to stare into the eyes of the stranger.

"Ah, um, no— I just walked past and, um, felt bad for it. It's, uh, it's really... skinny."

Hitoka isn't exactly known for being eloquent, especially not when faced with pretty strangers, but she figures she's gotten the point across— whatever the point was. It's at least enough to get a reaction from the stranger, who hums in response. Hitoka doesn't know if that's good or bad, and out of panic, continues to ramble on because that was _obviously_ the way to go.

"It looks like it has some problems with its back leg too— it's, um, leaning its weight more on its front paws and— when I tried looking at the back paws, it— it scratched me." She holds up her hand to show the other, as if to prove that she was speaking the truth.

The girl nods and is quiet for a moment. Hitoka is almost about to continue rambling just to fill the silence, when the stranger finally speaks up again. "I saw you from across the street. I.. work at the cafe over there," she vaguely gestures behind herself, "It looked like you were struggling."

She had been _watching_ Hitoka? For how long? Approximate amount of seconds, minutes? Had she seen Hitoka do something weird? What if she had picked her nose or made a strange face? What if this lady wasn't a drug dealer— what if she was actually a police officer who had gotten suspicious after she had seen Hitoka disappear into the alleyway and not come out? Maybe she thought Hitoka had been dealing drugs here?

"Plus, it's raining really bad. I figured I should help you out."

_...An angel? Is she an angel?_

There's a million thoughts going through Hitoka's mind. Slowly, Hitoka dares another glance up at the woman. She thinks she sees a smile tugging at the other's lips, but it might just be her mind playing tricks on her. It might just be wishful thinking. She _wants_ to see the girl smile, but Hitoka figures she's not the kind of person to smile randomly at a weird stranger who was trying to make friends with a stray cat in the pouring rain, rather than get home like a sensible person would.

However, said weird stranger is _definitely_ the type to smile at pretty ladies offering help, and Hitoka can feel the corners of her lips tugging upwards. "That—um— thank you."

The cat meows softly again, now having come completely out of hiding again, rubbing its wet, furry body against Hitoka's hand. It kind of reeks and she'll definitely have to wash her hands at least four times after this, but she'll deal with that later. Right now, all her mind can properly process is _pretty lady_ and _cute cat_.

"Do you live far from here?" the other asks.

"Oh, actually— I was thinking of taking this cat to the vet."

The stranger looks surprised for a moment, perhaps because Hitoka is so willing to take care of a stray cat that looks beyond helping, but she's quick to return to her calm expression. "There's a vet not too far away from here; I can take you there."

Hitoka knows where the vet is, but she's not about to turn down the offer. "T-That would be nice."

Another beat of silence passes before Hitoka realizes that she will now have to actually pick up the cat and carry it for a solid ten minutes or so. The cat that had scratched her hand not even three minutes ago. The cat that smells like sewage.

"Um, are you good with cats?" Hitoka asks nervously.

"Not really."

_Dangit._

Hitoka turns back to the cat, which has now moved to rub its body along her arm. She figures that means it trusts her a _little_ more than earlier at least, but the stinging on her hand reminds her not to try anything too risky. Slowly, she reaches out her other arm as well, gently petting the cat with her injured hand. Maybe cats were like horses, in the sense that you needed to pet them different places to show them that you were there or else they would crush you against a wall or kick you in the face?

...Hitoka is definitely more of a dog person. She also doesn't know much about horses either.

She's also very aware of the woman's gaze on her back and despite not knowing anything about her (except for the fact that she's _really_ nice and _really_ pretty), the blonde can't help but feel like she has to impress her.

Or at the very least, not make a fool out of herself.

Luckily for her, the cat seems to actually not hate her this time, and lets Hitoka pet it. Maybe it could sense the fact that Hitoka was begging it not to scratch her in front of the pretty girl— or maybe it was just satisfied with having scratched her once and didn't feel like going for another round. Either way, Hitoka is eternally grateful.

With some more coaxing and careful touches, Hitoka miraculously manages to lift the cat up in her arms. She tries her best to hold it in a way that isn't painful for it, and after a moment of readjustments and two instances of almost getting scratched again, she manages to find the ideal position. Or, well, it's ideal for the cat least. Hitoka ends up looking a little awkward and hunched over, but as long as she can walk, it's fine.

"Okay, I think we're ready." She gives the other a smile.

The stranger simply gives a curt nod, "This way."

Hitoka had been prepared to just continue getting wet from the rain—she was soaked already, so it wouldn't make much of a difference— but it seems the girl had other plans. She walks close to Hitoka, even tilting the umbrella a bit so that the blonde is covered properly. Hitoka is pretty sure the other is getting rain on her shoulder by doing so, but she's too flustered by the kind gesture to say anything. She's also _very_ glad to not have cold raindrops falling on her already freezing body for once.

Unlike Hitoka, the taller girl is completely dry (probably because she had been smart enough to check the weather forecast), and Hitoka has to stop herself from leaning into the other's warmth. But though her body is shivering from the cold, her face feels like it's on fire; being this close to a pretty girl is more than enough to send Hitoka's senses into overdrive.

It seems the cat notices this as well, as it shifts in Hitoka's grasp, emitting a soft meow. It startles both of the girls enough to make them stop, but after making sure that the cat was still safe and well, they begin walking again.

It's quiet, save for the sound of their shoes against the wet pavement, and the occasional car driving past.

Hitoka wonders if the other finds the silence awkward as well, or if it's just her who's worrying about what to do with their remaining nine minutes of walking. She manages a quick glance at the girl just to see her expression, but it looks too neutral for Hitoka to make anything out of it. She can't tell if she's annoyed or nervous or mad-- or perhaps she's regretting her decision to help the blonde. She probably hadn't been counting on having to take a smelly stranger and her weird cat to the vet; she had probably just offered Hitoka help out of politeness! Yet here they were, two strangers walking in the rain together, without even knowing each other's names.

 _...Oh!_ Names! Introductions! A possible topic to end the awkward silence!

Hitoka dares another glance at the other. It doesn't look like she's about to initiate a conversation, simply looking straight ahead and walking with determined steps. Hitoka figures it's up to her, because she's definitely not letting such a pretty stranger go without even knowing her name! Which, admittedly, is kind of a creepy thought to have, but Hitoka reassures herself that it's only polite to want to know someone's name. Definitely. She's just trying to be nice, really.

"Um," Hitoka speaks up hesitantly, gaining the other's attention. She swallows down the nervousness in an attempt to speak without stuttering for once. "I— I just realized I never introduced myself to you!" But apparently the nervousness is too strong to be pushed out of her voice and she curses herself for sounding to timid. "I'm— Yachi Hitoka!"

The other girl glances down at her, her gaze looking surprisingly kind, despite being the color of cold steel. Perhaps she was taking pity on Hitoka and her poor attempt at starting up a conversation. "I'm Shimizu Kiyoko." 

 _What a beautiful name._ Hitoka thinks it fits her.

"It's a pleasure to meet you!"

The tiniest smile appears on Kiyoko's face. "Likewise."

They're quiet once again, though the silence is remarkably more comfortable this time. Hitoka has to force herself to stop smiling like an idiot, glad to finally have caught the other's name. Shimizu Kiyoko. _Shimizu-san._

"Do you always help out stray cats, Yachi-san?"

Kiyoko's voice snaps Hitoka out of her thoughts again, and it takes a moment for her to process that the other woman had actually spoken to her without needing to. Like she _wants_ to talk to her. It makes Hitoka's heart skip a beat.

"Not really; this is the first time I've done it actually," she admits. "I was just waiting for the rain to let up when I heard it, and I figured I should help it since it looked so... injured."

"And you still want to help it, even after it injured you?" Kiyoko glances at the scratches on the blonde's hand.

"Oh, well— yeah. That was my own fault anyway. It was probably just scared of me."

Kiyoko nods, and Hitoka still isn't sure how to read her facial expression, but as long as the other is still willing to talk to her, she figures that whatever Kiyoko is thinking about her can't be that bad.

"Are you planning on keeping it then?" Kiyoko asks.

The question catches her off guard for a moment, despite it being a rather logical thing to wonder about. _Is_ she going to keep the cat? Hitoka isn't even sure if her apartment complex allows cats, and even if it did, she wouldn't know how to care for it. She has never had a pet before, save for that one goldfish she had for two weeks as a kid, but she figures that isn't enough experience for her to be able to care for an animal that doesn't spend all its time inside a bowl.

Hitoka looks down at the cat in her arms, gaze landing on all its injuries. She doesn't know how to take care of it but she can't just leave it out on the streets again.

"I... I guess I am?"

The uncertainty in her voice is enough to make the corners of Kiyoko's lips quirk into a proper smile. "You don't sound very sure."

"I-I'm not. I don't even know if I can take it—"

"Well," Kiyoko gently interrupts, the same knowing smile on her face, "I think that if you're so willing to take it to the vet, then you've already made your choice."

"...Ah."

Kiyoko turns her gaze forward again, looking amused. "Better start thinking about names."

The cat lets out another quiet meow, almost as if it knows that they're talking about it. Its eyes have slid shut now, probably enjoying the small amount of heat coming from Hitoka. It's not much, but it's probably the most contact its had with another being the past few weeks, given the condition it's in.

"Do you have any ideas for names?" Hitoka asks.

"It's not my cat."

"It's not mine either."

Kiyoko raises an eyebrow at her.

"Well, not yet. Technically."

"Technically," Kiyoko repeats, still sounding amused.

"I-It's not mine until— until I take it home. I think." That's definitely not how things work, but Hitoka still doesn't feel like she can call the cat hers. Not yet. She just found it not even ten minutes ago— perhaps after a check up at the vet she'll be able to feel some kind of ownership to it. A name would probably help too.

"Ame."

"Huh?"

"Ame," Kiyoko repeats, looking at Hitoka.

Ame. _Rain_. It's not exactly a creative name, far from it actually, but the simplicity of it makes Hitoka smile. Perhaps Kiyoko wasn't a particularly creative person, but owning a cat named by her seems nice. Like a sweet little reminder of the kind stranger Hitoka met in the rain.

Or would that be weird maybe...?

Well, if anyone asks about the name, Hitoka will simply have to cover it up with some other lame story. Telling people that the cat got its name from a person Hitoka talked to (and was immensely flustered by) for ten minutes and then never met again would probably be a little weird. But still, she wants to keep the name.

"Ame it is," Hitoka smiles.

"Now you'll have something to call it when we get to the vet," Kiyoko says, raising one hand to point in the distance.

Hitoka's heart sinks as the animal hospital comes into view, the brightly lit sign flickering above the entrance as they approach. Had ten minutes already passed? Now that they had a decent conversation going, Hitoka just wants to continue talking to her. That is definitely more than a little weird, she _knows_ , but she simply wants to get to know her better.

It's already late though, and Hitoka knows that if she stays in these clothes for much longer, she'll definitely catch a cold. Besides, she has already taken up more than enough of Kiyoko's time.

Was their ten minutes of acquaintanceship enough to warrant another meeting? Would it be weird if Hitoka said something along the lines of _'talk to you another time'_ or perhaps even _'hope we can meet again sometime'_? Or could she maybe _ask for Kiyoko's number?_

But of course, because Hitoka is who is she is, she doesn't say any of those things. All she can muster up to say as they finally stand outside the entrance, is a meek, "Thank you for the help."

Kiyoko gives her one last smile, even bowing politely. "It was nice meeting you." She turns, ready to leave, says "Take care, Yachi-san," over her shoulder—and then she's gone.

Hitoka thinks rainy days might not be so bad after all.


	2. second meeting

The second time they meet, it's overcast and it's been three weeks since their first meeting.

The visit to the vet had taken far longer than expected, and by the time Hitoka had gotten home, it was nearing 10pm. In retrospect, Hitoka probably should have expected it to take long, given all the problems Ame probably had. Luckily, the vet had said that he would get better. It would simply take a lot of time and care— and apparently also a lot of money. She had left the animal hospital with arms full of cat supplies, including a carrier that Ame could rest in, and a much lighter wallet.

Both the cat and Hitoka had been exhausted from the day's ordeals when they got home. The only thing that had kept her from going to sleep right away were the wet clothes, but even after a long, warm shower and some fuzzy pajamas, Hitoka still ended up with a cold the next morning. It wasn't quite enough to keep her away from going to work that day, though her coworkers were quick to urge her home as the day progressed.

She ended up spending one miserable week in bed, only getting up to take care of her new feline friend who, just like the vet had said, needed a lot of care and attention. At least Ame made sure she didn't just waste away in bed.

He also served as a constant reminder of Kiyoko.

Not that Hitoka wasn't already spending most of her time thinking about the girl. Between long, sporadic naps, Hitoka finds herself staring up at the ceiling, replaying their conversation over and over in her head. She feels silly being so caught up in a stranger, but she's always been highly impressionable.

At least when it came to pretty girls.

Groaning, Hitoka rolls over in bed, pressing her face into a pillow.

This isn't the first time she's been... infatuated with a stranger, though it's been some time since it was this bad. There have been multiple instances where Hitoka has seen a cute girl on the train, wondering about her name and story. Sometimes she dares make eye contact with one of the cute cashiers at the local grocery store, and wonders if she remembers Hitoka, but that's as far as she goes. She never dares talk to people any more than is needed. In all honesty, it's a miracle she even has friends now.

The blonde heaves a sigh, sitting up in the bed so that she can see Ame, who's resting in the windowsill.

"Ame-chan, why are girls so cute?"

The cat doesn't even spare her a glance.

With a huff, Hitoka plops back down on her pillow, arms spread out to the side. "Why are you so creepy?" she asks herself in the darker voice she's assigned to Ame. The cat has only been with her for a week, yet she's already having conversations with it.

...Perhaps it was time she contacted one of her friends lest she goes insane talking to a cat.

The next couple of weeks pass by in similar fashion, except she eventually gets well enough to back to work. She's still sniffling and coughing a little when she gets back to the office, but at least she only has to sit in a chair all day and stare at the computer screen. Her boss is also kind enough not to drown her in paperwork immediately.

Hitoka also ends up talking to one of her friends— Michimiya Yui— though it's the other girl who contacts her first. They met only a year or so ago because of their work, but since Yui works for a different branch at the company, they don't see each other as much as they would like.

"Where would you like to meet up?" Yui asks over the phone one day.

Hitoka hums, ildly wiping the kitchen counter as she thinks. "How about—" She's about to suggest one of the bakeries they've visited before when a thought strikes her.

_Shimizu-san works at a cafe._

The thought alone is enough to make her freeze up, breath catching in her throat. Luckily, Yui just waits patiently on the other end, already used to Hitoka's weird habit of stuttering and suddenly clamming up.

Would it be weird if she suggested that they go to that cafe? Wouldn't it be creepy? What if Kiyoko isn't even there? What if she _is_ there and doesn't recognize Hitoka? It's been weeks after all, and it had been dark when they met— she probably hadn't seen Hitoka's face properly. Or maybe she _does_ remember Hitoka but she thinks she's weird, so she'll just ignore her if she comes to the cafe?

Yui clears her throat.

Ah, she must have waited too long.

"Um, there's a— a cafe, not far away from work. It's— nice."

"And?" Yui presses.

Hitoka pauses, unsure. "And...?"

" _And_ what else? You were quiet for like three minutes, so I'm assuming you were thinking about something important."

Should she tell her? Despite them not having known each other for that long, Yui is one of Hitoka's closest friends. They managed to hit it off well from the beginning (due to Yui's open and enthusiastic nature of course), and she's the kind of friend Hitoka feels she could have known since childhood because of how close they are. And of course, since they are so close, Yui already knows about several of the blonde's short term crushes. More importantly, she _relates_ , because surprisingly enough, Yui could be just as gay as Hitoka. There have been multiple instances where they've just talked about crushes and cute girls for hours on end, so Hitoka knows Yui won't judge her for wanting to seek out Kiyoko, but...

"Hitoka-chan—"

"There's a girl!" she finally blurts out.

There's a pause on the other end and Hitoka can practically _see_ the smile forming on the other's face.

"Ooh, I should have known!"

Hitoka heaves a sigh, once again cursing her gay little heart.

"So, who is she? Does she work at a cafe? That's why you want to go there, right?"

"Y-Yeah, though... I'm not like 100% sure of which cafe it is? She didn't really specify and it was really dark, so I couldn't—"

"Let's look for it then!" Yui chirps, as enthusiastic as always.

"Are you sure? I don't want to, um, inconvinience you."

"It's fine, Hitoka-chan. Plus, now I'm really curious about this girl! It's been a while since last time you had a crush on someone, so I'm excited to see who has captured Hitoka-chan's heart this time!"

"She— She hasn't— It's not—!" Hitoka splutters, feeling her face heat up.

Yui's melodic laughter fills her ears. "I'm just teasing. For real though, I'm totally fine with going to that cafe. Do you know when her shifts are?"

"Ah, um, no..."

"Oh, well, it'll be fine! Probably. We'll just have to go whenever then. Say, does this friday work for you?"

After deciding on a time and date, Hitoka hangs up, not knowing if she should feel relieved or mortified over the situation she's created for herself. On one hand, she's really excited about the chance of getting to see Kiyoko again.

But on the other hand... _holy shit._

_Holy shit_ , she's going to the cafe where Kiyoko works— she's going to the workplace of a stranger she got to know for ten minutes, and she's managed to rope her friend into it too. Not that Yui seemed troubled about it, if anything, she was far more enthusiastic about it compared to Hitoka herself. She wishes she could have even half of Yui's enthusiasm because she's pretty sure that would be enough to last her a lifetime.

Friday. At 5PM.

Hitoka looks at the time— it's 7PM. Tuesday.

She counts on her fingers, and then switches over to using her phone's calculator when the numbers get too big.

58 hours.

58 hours until she _dies_.

The hours are spent sleeping, working, caring for Ama, and almost calling Yui to say that they need to meet somewhere else— several times. She even ends up writing up messages where she explains herself, but she always ends up deleting them. After all, this is what she wants. Even if her quickened heartbeat and shaky hands suggest that she's nothing but anxious about meeting Kiyoko again, Hitoka is... excited. Anxious as hell, but so, _so_ excited.

"It's not like it's a _date_. She might not even be there!" she tries to reason with herself, once again voicing her inner turmoils on her bed, speaking towards the ceiling. Ame has decided to join her this time, curled up by her side. "This is just a... a meeting? A really weird meeting— a meeting that might not even happen because she doesn't even know about it and— _ugh_!"

Hitoka knows she's just going to go mad if she keeps this up, so she does what Yui does in difficult situations— slaps her cheeks with both of her hands.  
Ame startles at the sudden movement, raising his head to look at Hitoka. It takes a moment of painful stinging (and what Hitoka interprets to be a very judgmental stare from Ame), before she realizes how stupid that was.

——

Friday comes both too slowly and too quickly.

Hitoka ends up practically running back home after work, just to get a chance to fix up her makeup and hair before she has to go out again. By the time she deems her looks to be at least halfway decent, she's running late and it looks like a tornado has torn through her closet. She calls out a quick, "Please don't pee on anything!" to Ame before storming out the door.

She meets Yui by the train station, out of breath and with her hair just slightly messed up. Yui just smiles at the sight and reaches out to straighten out the bow in Hitoka's hair.

"You're really going all out with this, aren't you?" the older girl gives Hitoka an endearing look.

"Eh—? Is it— is it too much? I don't want to be overdressed but I want to look _okay_ —"

"No, no!" Yui interrupts before Hitoka can ramble anymore. "You look fine. You look cute! Don't worry."

Despite the encouraging words, Hitoka can't bring herself to do anything _but_ worry. She tries not to fidget with her hair or outfit too much, so she ends up picking on the key ring hanging from her bag as they walk towards the cafe.

This is a mistake. This is definitely a mistake. It feels like her heart is beating harder and faster with each step she takes— and they're not even at the cafe yet! Yes, this is definitely a mistake, she can't go through with this, it's too weird, too creepy, silly, unnecessary! Why is she even doing this— _why_ is she even overthinking this? She should just turn around now. Right now, right this second, she can just leave _yet her feet just keep moving._

She gulps, slowly looking over at Yui, who's been chattering on ever since they left the station. Hitoka feels bad about not having listened to any of it— she really shouldn't have dragged her friend into this.

"Yui, um, maybe we should—" she starts, but when Yui looks down at her with such a hopeful gleam in her eyes, the words die in her throat.

"It'll be fine," Yui smiles, already knowing what Hitoka was about to say, and probably knowing that Hitoka hadn't been fully listening to her. "This doesn't have to be a life changing meeting or anything— maybe you won't even meet at all!"

Hitoka grimaces at the words.

"Ah, that was— I meant that in a comforting way. But either way! At least we'll get out of this with some frappes!" And with that, she pulls Hitoka towards the entrance, not leaving room for any more hesitation.

A _ding!_ sounds from the bell above the door as they enter. It's a fairly large cafe, so even though there's a decent amount of people inside, it's not too crowded. There's a small line by the counter as they approach, but Hitoka can still clearly see the cashier.

It's not Kiyoko.

There are other people working behind the counter as well, preparing orders and speaking to costumers, and Hitoka can very obviously see that none of them are Kiyoko either.

Yui gently bumps into her shoulder. "Which one is it?"

"Ah, um, I don't think she's here." Hitoka tries not to sound too dejected, but she can't help the disappointment in her voice. Despite knowing that they might not come during Kiyoko's shift, Hitoka really had been expecting to see her again— or at the very least, catch a glimpse of her.

Yui smiles sympathetically as her, though unlike Hitoka, it doesn't look like she's given up just yet. "Let's order and sit down. She might show up later."

They wait in line and order. Hitoka gets the coffee that's closest to her usual Starbucks order, and ends up trying to sneak a look at the rooms behind the counter while waiting for it, just in case she manages to spot Kiyoko. It's odd how she was dreading this encounter just a couple of minutes ago, yet now she finds herself seeking out the mystery stranger's presence.

Well, at least she has Yui. Despite not managing to obtain their main objective, Hitoka won't let that ruin the evening. Spending time with Yui is always fun, and as they sit down, they quickly manage to find other things to talk about.

Yui and Hitoka come from neighboring towns out in the country. Of course, since they were small towns, they were nearly 45 minutes away from each other, and thus they didn't meet before they both moved into the outskirts of Tokyo. Still, being from the same prefecture meant they had some mutual friends and acquaintances, and it seemed Yui always knew the latest news about all of them.

"You remember Daichi, right? Sawamura Daichi?" Yui asks, fiddling with the straw in her drink.

"The guy you have a crush on?"

" _Had,_ " Yui corrects.

Hitoka raises an eyebrow, simply sipping on her iced coffee.

"Don't give me that look! Anyways, apparently he's planning on proposing to Suga-san."

Hitoka chokes on her drink. _Oh god._

"Right? That's the reaction I had too! I mean, it's not too surprising given how long they've been together, and I really am happy for them but—"

The blonde rapidly shakes her head, efficiently cutting off Yui. As much as she enjoys hearing about old acquaintances, there are more pressing issues at hand because Kiyoko is right there.

Right there, a couple of meters away from them, gathering empty cups at another table. She's there and Hitoka's heart is pounding again, just like it had been when they first entered the cafe— except now it's worse. It's pounding so quickly and so hard against her ribs, she feels like it can be seen from the outside because it's making her entire form vibrate.

Hitoka had been right in assuming that this meeting would mean her death.

At the back of her mind, she can still hear that voice (her own) calling her silly and stupid, because what kind of person reacts this way to a girl they've only met once? They haven't even talked yet (she doesn't even know if they will), and there's still the possibility of Hitoka having misstook the person for Kiyoko (though she's very sure she hasn't).

Before Kiyoko can even turn her head to look in Hitoka's direction, the blonde ducks down, using Yui's form to shield her. Yui simply gives her a confused look, but thankfully stays put. Hitoka wishes there was some way communicating to her friend that Kiyoko is right there, without having to actually say it out loud or point at the girl. She needs to stay incognito for as long as she can, just so she can breathe or something but apparently that's too long for Yui, who finally puts the pieces together and turns to see whatever had distracted Hitoka enough to interrupt her.

"Oh!" Yui says and it's _way_ too loud, Kiyoko probably heard it and seen her, maybe she's giving Yui a weird look— Hitoka needs to hide right now, what if she's walking towards their table, Hitoka can't see a thing behind Yui but Kiyoko is right there, she _knows_ —

By the time Yui has turned back to Hitoka, the blonde is pressing her face against the table, hiding her head with her arms. Yui simply gives a soft, "Ah," now knowing fully well why Hitoka was acting so weirdly.

"You should go talk to her," Yui whispers, and Hitoka is thankful that her friend actually manages to be lowkey about it. She peaks out from behind her arms, giving Yui a doubtful look.

"C'mon, this is what we came here for, right? Just say hi or something— or at least stop hiding! I'm pretty sure she can't see you anyway—"

"Are you finished with these?"

Hitoka bolts upright at the sound of a different voice, arms glued to her sides and eyes wide with surprise. Her gaze locks onto the girl who had just spoken, and the unforgettable pair of grey eyes stare back.

"Ah," Kiyoko says and the world stops. Hitoka holds her breath. "Aren't you the... Yachi-san, was it?"

Hitoka gulps. "Y-Yes, I'm— Yes."

And even with Hitoka's weird behavior and nervous looking expression and strangely stiff posture, Kiyoko smiles at her and Hitoka dies. Right there. Her soul ascends to the heavens and she can hear angels singing in her head because Kiyoko had remembered her.

_Her!_ The weird stranger in the rain who had rescued a stray cat! Kiyoko remembered _her!_

"I didn't think I would meet you again," Kiyoko says and Hitoka's soul is slam-dunked back into her body as she realizes she has no way of explaining this chance-but-not-really-chance encounter.

"We were just walking around when we found this place," Yui, bless her heart, answers for Hitoka, "good thing we came here, right, Hitoka-chan?"

Hitoka simply nods, trying desperately to swallow down the nervousness so that she can speak again. "I—the strawberry frappe is— really good."

"I'm glad you liked it," Kiyoko says politely as she gathers up the empty cups. "Would you like another one?"

"Yes, please!" Hitoka squeaks as Yui shakes her head no. Kiyoko gives a nod before she disappears and Hitoka finally lets out the breath she had been holding in, leaning her head back on the table once she's sure Kiyoko can't see her. The cold surface feels good against her burning cheeks, and she doesn't even want to think about how red her face must've been while Kiyoko had been there.

Yui just grins at her friend, looking both mischievous and excited. "You were right, she _is_ really pretty! As expected of Hitoka-chan; you've always had excellent taste!"

"I can't believe she's actually here," Hitoka mutters, still too stunned to process it all and give Yui a proper answer.

Yui just smiles at her smitten friend. "So, should I take this as my cue to leave? I don't want to be a third wheel."

Hitoka sits up again, shaking her head. "You're not going to be a third wheel— there's not even a first or second wheel! I mean— I don't even know if I'm going to talk to her more. Maybe she'll just give me the frappe and go."

"Well then give her a reason to stay!"

"How?"

"Just, ah, be yourself?"

Hitoka sighs, "You know that doesn't work!"

"Well, she remembers you, so obviously you must have done something right last time."

"She probably just remembers me because no one else walks around picking up stray cats. And _now_ she's going to remember me as the girl who ordered two strawberry frappes! I don't even _want_ another one, it was way too sweet."

"Then why did you agree to have another one?" Yui asks, head tilted to the side.

"I panicked!"

Yui sighs. "Okay, well, at least this means she'll come back! So, it was a smart move, even if you might end up a little nauseous later. But sacrifices must be made in the name of love!"

Hitoka squirms in her seat, her friend's words far too embarrassing. "It's not love! And you don't have to talk about this like— like you're making a plan or something!"

"Would you rather just wing it?"

"Well, no, not really but— it feels weird if we start planning what I'm going to say and do. Like I said, I don't even know if she _wants_ to talk to me."

"Just start a conversation then! Ask her how her day was."

"I can't just say _'hello, thank you for the second frappe, also how was your day'_!"

"Why not?"

"It's weird!" Hitoka exclaims, starting to get a little exasperated over Yui's lack of understanding. She knows her friend is just trying to help, but it seems Yui hasn't quite understood that Hitoka's combination of anxiety and awkwardness prevents her from talking like a regular person. There are certain things she simply cannot do.

"Okay, okay, what if you—"

"Here's your strawberry frappe."

Hitoka startles again at the sound of Kiyoko's voice, not having heard her approach. Yui is quick to shut up, lips pressed against each other as she watches the barista hand over Hitoka's order.

"Um, that was— 510 yen, right?" Hitoka asks even though she already knows the price, fumbling around with her bag as she looks for her wallet.

"Oh, yes, but," Kiyoko pauses for a moment before continuing, "This one's on the house, so don't worry about it."

"O-Oh." Hitoka feels her soul ascend again. She's dead— double-dead. An absolute goner. There's no way she can be brought back to life again. "Thank you!" she somehow manages to squeak out.

Kiyoko graces her with another one of her rare smiles. "How's Ame?"

"Oh, he's, uh, he's doing well! He's still completely healthy but he's a lot better than he was! And there has only been a couple more scratching incidents. It's mostly been my fault though— again." Kiyoko nods and listens like she actually cares about what Hitoka has to say— and if that _is_ the case, Hitoka will continue talking into the end of time. But she can see new customers still coming in, and Kiyoko keeps glancing behind her to check on her coworkers. She feels bad for keeping Kiyoko here for so long already, but she doesn't want to let her go, just like that.

"Um—" Hitoka begins just as Kiyoko opens her mouth to say something— probably that she has to go. But Kiyoko politely shuts her mouth again so Hitoka takes her chance. There's a rare spark of confidence in her, so she _has_ to do this now.

"M-Maybe we could— I could tell you more about Ame, over coffee someday!"

Both Kiyoko and Yui look surprised at the suggestion, probably startled by Hitoka's sudden ability to suggest something rather bold. Or, well, it was a bold move, coming from Hitoka at least. There's a pause before Kiyoko says anything and Hitoka's mind has gone completely blank again. It's as if her entire life has been leading up to this.

This is the most terrifying thing she's ever done.

"Well—" Kiyoko begins and Hitoka holds her breath. "I don't know about coffee—" _Oh god._ "But—" _Oh my god._ "I get enough coffee here as it is. We could go out for ice cream or something instead?"

_Oh. My. God?_

"That's— yes. It— That sounds good!"

Kiyoko smiles again, and this time, Hitoka swears she looks just a tiny bit embarrassed. "Okay, I can just write down my number somewhere—" She looks around for something she can write on, before just grabbing Hitoka's frappe and whipping out a marker from her back pocket. It only takes a moment for her to write on it, and when she hands it back to Hitoka, there's a number and a smiley face on it. "Just send me a text and we can figure out the specifics. I need to get back to work but... I look forward to seeing you again, Yachi-san."

Kiyoko turns and leaves, and all Hitoka can do is raise her hand in a silent and awkward little wave, as the words play on repeat in her head. 

 

_I look forward to seeing you too, Shimizu-san...!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the wait AND sorry the small amount of actual kiyoyachi!!!! :^( these first two chapters are mainly just building up and setting up the plot, but hopefully there will be more interaction between them in the next chapter! 
> 
> also i just had to drag in yui bc i Love Every haikyuu girl

**Author's Note:**

> ame means rain in case that wasn't clear :^)
> 
> thank you for reading!! ive already started writing the next chapter tho im still not sure if itll be the last one or if ill continue and turn this into an actual multichapter fic .. ..aaa we'll see!  
> also if u wanna yell about kiyoyachi with me feel free to hmu @ tadanoris.tumblr.com !!


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